TMNT Prompts
by Shadzninja
Summary: A small thing of prompt fills I'm doing for fun on the side, I'll add as I make new chapters. [Accepting Requests Now] [All Characters and Universes Are Open]
1. Shadow

**Word count:** 350  
 **Genre:** Suspense  
 **Character:** A stalker  
 **Material:** A watch  
 **Sentence:** "Shut up."  
 **Bonus:** The story involves a fight.

Leonardo hasn't seen who threw it. Or when it had gotten there. Or why it hadn't made a noise. Or why it had made him feel such foreboding. But his gut told him to leave it be.

Raphael and Michelangelo had gotten into another wrestling match on the roof after the group had made their rounds around the city. Donatello had done a fine trick with his bo staff and beat all the brothers in the "Who Can Jump Further" by using it as a lance to gain distance. Leave it to Raphael and Michelangelo to fight over who got second best without taking Leonardo into consideration.

So, when Leo and Don had stood farther away by a water tower to watch the babies brawl out their decision, Leo had noticed something cold washed through him suddenly. Was... ? He looked at Donny and noticed the genius was walking forward a bit to try and placate the two fighters only to get grabbed and noogied. They all laughed, not a shiver to their skin.

Leonardo shivered himself as he looked around. Was it because he was getting sick? He usually doesn't get sick in fall... He usually never gets anything more than a stuffy nose in winter. Was it... ? Were they being watched? He looked around sharper; left, right, behind him, a 360 degree turn; he didn't stop his full body twists as he tried to find out...

Suddenly, his foot landed on something cold. And solid. He looked down at his foot and saw a gold watch almost under his twin toes. He stepped back... It... why was the ticking so loud? Why was it so shiny? Why did it make him feel fear?

The laughter of his brothers didn't stop as he felt everything speed up. His heart rate, his moving eyes, his gasps, his turning... What was watching them?

"Who's there?" he called around them. Why wouldn't his brothers stop laughing so loud?

"Shut up."

And he felt hands on his mouth, and he was gone into the black of the night. His brothers still laughing.


	2. Kappa's Are Demons

**Word count:** 600  
 **Genre:** Suspense  
 **Character:** A religious fanatic  
 **Material:** A laser  
 **Sentence:** "I don't need any sleep."  
 **Bonus:** There is a great storm.

* * *

"Michelangelo!" He heard it. His big brother yelling out across the roaring storm and the old building they were held prisoner in. Was it Leo? Was it Donnie? "Michelangelo!" There it was again.

"Hey, chucklehead..." He heard a Brooklyn accent whisper to him from beside his and felt a gentle nudge. "Open your eyes."

"Head hurts... Head pounding..." He groaned as Raph hummed. Mikey kept his eyes shut and he squeezed them tighter. "Feel like I'm upside down..."

"That's because we are upside, smart one." Raph let out an unamused, sarcastic remark and that made Mikey open his eyes with a start.

They were upside down. They were wrapped, shoulders to knees, in chains and were dangling from the old haunted places ceiling. Looking at the ceiling, it looked like it had already begun to buckle under there joined weight so close together. Raph was still swinging from nudging Mikey and the ceiling was letting out large dust particles from the cracks to indicate it was just breaking some more. Wait, if it was so easy to break the ceiling why couldn't they escape?

Mikey looked below them and saw why. Six stories had lost their floors over the years and at the bottom was sharp and deadly looking debris. Mikey actually felt himself whimper as the moon's soft blue light did nothing to ease his mood. Or the lightning. And the pounding rain and thunder only made him more scared. He start to hyperventilate.

"Mikey, calm down." Raph hissed. But he made sure to stay in a whispering tone. "I'm here. Don' move and we'll both be okay. Dis place is only so big. Leo and Don'll find us..."

"Raphael!" They had gotten closer. Sorta. "Michelangelo!" Donnie must have broken a doors lock because a large thud somewhere sounded from it being kicked in. "Raphael!"

The voices were below... above... below, he was pretty sure, himself and Mikey looked into the hole. A large dust cloud showed on... one, two, three; the third floor. And he could hear Don and Leo clearly. Michelangelo looked to Raph and saw him shaking his head slightly. He made a disgruntled look of "why not?" when Raph moved his head into the rooms direction.

Mukey looked in front of him for the first time and was slightly surprised to see they had company. Or... maybe it was company? It looked like the man in the tattered robes was dead from how still and pale he was in the corner. His dull green eyes unmoving like his whole body. His chest wasn't moving... And his left hand had something gripped in it but Mikey couldn't see it.

"Raph, is he - ?" Before Mikey could finish the sentence, a loud bang was heard and Mikey felt himself jump in his chins. He looked around and saw the corpse like man had raised a gun at them. "Raph - ?!"

Another gunshot and this time, Mikey didn't speak again. He looked to Raph for support and saw Raph's jaw quivering, in fear or anger he'll never know. But Mikey was just glad Raph was unharmed... This madman...

"I might have set off warning shots, but I do thank you..." the near elderly voice said as he slowly stood up from his corner of the room. "I don't need to sleep. And you don't need to talk, children."

Raph would have said something rude if he hadn't noticed the voices along with Mikey. "Michelangelo! Raphael!" The voices were hysterics, the feet pounding hard. They were heading this way.

"Yes." The sadistic priest said as he cocked the gun. "Come here."


	3. Diary

**One sentence starter:**

 **"They found his diary under his bed"**

* * *

They found his diary under his bed. Sure, it wasn't hard to find because it was just lying there, and it wasn't really hidden in between anything except a few scrolls, but it was a diary.

Well, Donatello would have called it a journal instead because he knew Leonardo would hate the feminine title to such a private item but Raphael kept flaunting it around as a diary. Donatello gave up trying to defend Leonardo, the only one absent, and felt his chest pang as his other brothers made fun of it.

Sure, Raph was waving it around, but Mikey was the perpetrator to trespassing. Raphael usually never just barged into anyone's room without permission, but Michelangelo was another story. Pranks, taking things, drawing on things, distracting the turtle the room belonged to, touching things... The youngest turtle was the king at never asking for permission unless it was Master Splinter he was bugging. Donny had tried to teach him manners along time ago, but he failed, as you can see.

"We shouldn't be here." Donny said as he looked around his oldest brothers room, the samurai-esche theme making him know he was out of place. "None of us are supposed to go in Leo's room while he's special training with Splinter!"

"Come on, brainiac," Raph taunted the scared turtle tot, batting away Mikey's hand to snatch the journal. "It's just one 's the worst dat can happen?"

As Mikey was eyeing the leather bound book, Donnie glared at his immediate older brother. "Leo could come back early and find us. Splinter could hear us and come in. Splinter could ground us. Leo could lose trust in us. Leo could feel betrayed. Leo could hate us..."

At that last part, Raphael became uncertain. He pushed Mikey away from him, held the book in both hands as far away as possible, and eyed it like one of Donnie's intense math problems. His confused looked turned to a that of a upset stare. "Leo wouldn't hate us... Would he?"

"If you read that book," Donnie said sternly. "We'll find out what Leo thinks of those he loses trust in."

"But how would Leo even know we read it? We can just put it back where we found it." Mikey's innocent tone was a masquerade, Donnie could see the mischievous gleam through his eyes.

Donny held no such joy in his entire person. His skin was buzzing and his pulse sped up quickly every second they stayed here. He usually loved coming into Leo's room when the turtle was here, but now he felt like he'd slapped the turtle in the face involuntarily by investigating the rummaging sounds Mikey was making. "If you read it. I tell. I'll be the last one out of this room, just so you two don't make to take anything."

Raph was still staring at the book with a disgruntled face, and Mikey's happy look dissolved as soon as Donnie said he'd tell. Was it really that serious? It's just a book.

Mikey repeated that sentiment out loud and that made Donnie stutter like crazy. "Just a book?! Michelangelo, this is our oldest brothers private thoughts, actions, and secrets. We have no right to read this!"

"Sensei always said that keeping secrets showed dishonesty." Mikey quipped and Donnie hummed.

"That, he did. And I don't like surprises or secrets as much as the next turtle, but these are not the answers we want." Donnie softly reached for the journal and Raph, strangely, allowed the purple genius to take it. "Whatever is in here, is a crude and emotional version of Leonardo. Reading this will give us the wrong story, because most defienetly, Leonardo only writes in this about things he will share in time once he figures it out himself..."

Donatello was now the one to hold the journal at arms length, but his face was full of certainty. Everyone admired Donny for this kinda thing. When he made up his mind, he always was the hardest to move away from it. He even had Leonardo beat. And they all admired it.

Raph and Mikey stared, wide eyed as their genius sibling walked over to Leo's bed and placed the book under a set of loose scrolls. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to snoop in Leo's stuff. Mikey felt a bit guilty, and Raph felt quilty as well. He almost invaded his best friends privacy... Splinter warned them all about this...

"Now..." Donnie said as he looked at them both. "Do we all understand what we just did?"

Raph and Mikey grew solemn, and hung their heads. They nodded and Raph spoke up. "We almost hurt Leo by reading his journal."

Donnie looked like a proud teacher as he waved his hands. "Yes, now let's get out of here. We're still in deep do-do if we're caught in here. Mikey, your first. I was serious about being last."

* * *

Leo took off after Splinter gave him the okay to have some alone time. He had been wanting to finish his scrolls on Abe no Seimai before the end of the week. His favorite TV show was broadcasting a 48 hour marathon all weekend and he didn't wanna forget about half the stories he'd read by cutting it in half.

He dug under his bed and the first thing he felt was his journal in the wrong setting. It was in between the third part and Abe no Seimei's great deeds. He became confused before noticing his drawers were up and his bed was disturbed.

Michelangelo.

Leo sighed and cursed himself. He should really hide his fanfiction idea book better. He was hoping Mikey thought it useless in his search for fun things to play or use because these ideas he had for stories and fanfictions were deeply personal.

Well, not a personal as his diary he kept on top of the ceiling fan that didn't work in his room. That thing was personal.


	4. Please, Listen, Guys!

**One sentence starter:**  
 **"His inability to command the attention of the room was almost miraculous."**

* * *

His inability to command the attention of the room was almost miraculous. He was tremendously dissapointed in himself as he looked around at the bickering siblings he'd set off. He hadn't meant to be so aggressive, but this wasn't a passive subject at the moment to simply... let go. He hadn't meant to... set off a chain reaction though.

"Back down, Raphael!" Leonardo said as he shoved his red banded brother out of his face. "It's a serious problem, we can't just swing and hope we hit something."

"Oooohhhh-oh!" Raph said mockingly as he rolled his eyes and held a bitter smile as Leonardo gained his breathing space back. "Fearless Leader has grown his own pear back! Finally, yah tail untucks from between ya legs, Leo!"

"Guys, your both just being difficult." Mikey didn't raise his voice but his words seem to deafen Raph's stinging tone for a few seconds.

"I ain't bein' difficult! This weakened version of Splinter just doesn't give all options a fightin' chance." Raph said as Leo sharpens his glare at his brother. Raph let's out a bitter smirk. "Where were we, Leonardo?"

"Guys." Donnie said, using the same tone of voice Mikey had. But it seems he was going ignored.

"Me, telling you, your plan is as dumb as Mikey's pizza ideas for the holidays." Leo said as his glare never softened. Raph and Mikey's expressions both dropped.

"Hey! Holiday themed pizza is a good idea. If they can do it with decorations, why can't I with toppings?" Mikey's voice raised in hysterics and he crossed his arms in a pout. He looked only slightly peeved compared to Raph.

The red banded turtle's breath sped up and his eyes dilated. Donnie didn't like it when his brothers started fighting but Donnie also knew it was inevitable if the two weren't doing everything Raph's way. So, the instant Leo shot down Raph's "rush 'em and pray" plan, Donnie lost some of his own drive to be creative.

"Guys." Donnie spoke up again.

"Now you listen here, you prick." Raph grabbed at Leo's scabbard strip that went across his chest and pulled him close to the angry turtles scrunched up faces.

"Guys. Really, listen..." Donnie raised his voice a bit this time in urgency. Donatello gained Leonardo's attention, even if Raphael was holding him, but the fuming duo were distracted by Mikey leaning into the two's space.

"Woah, another physical brawl gonna happen?" Mikey joked bitterly on his own. "It's only been ten minutes and training isn't over."

"That's because Raph won't listen to reason." Leo said and gained ground to intimidate Raph back by using his weight to force Raph's hand to retreat.

"And ya don't listen to nothin' that ain't ya own idea." Raph said as he hissed.

"Guys."

"Your both rude, as far as I can tell." Mikey let out a huff. Leo and Raph set back on their knees, not touching each other, and they huffed themselves. "You both act like children when your near each other."

Raph and Leo stopped playing him mind. Everyone was just running a little high on energy and they all wanted to do a good job today. There was almost no explanation. Today, everyone just wanted to... do their thing. They just wanted to play strategist and win the game before lunch and... Well, buttons are being pressed, and not the fun video game controller kind...

Leo looked up with a start. Speaking of technology...

"Donnie! You had... Donnie?" Leonardo had forgotten his genius brother had gotten his attention beforehand. When Leo looked at Donnie's last place of kneeling in their circle, he was gone. "Guys, where's Donnie?"

"Your brother went to his lab." An old voice said from the other side of the dojo. He did not sound pleased. "While waiting on your plan to attack me, or rather your random squabbling, I saw Donatello was just suffering on the sidelines. I gave him the day off practicing. You three, will continue until you can hit me. Like before."


	5. Father's Weapon

**One sentence prompt:**  
 **"What have I told you about listening to your gut more? It's smart. Do it."**

* * *

"What have I told you about listenin' to yah gut more? It's smart. Do it." Raph said as they all stood behind a pacing Leonardo.

All the young turtles were standing in the living room, Leonardo pacing in front of television set that Donatello had turned off when Leonardo called a family meeting. Raphael and Michelangelo didn't really care that the TV had been turned off since nothing good was really on but it was still slightly annoying that Leo was using them to make a... semi-worth it decision.

The leader of the family held Master Splinter's green stoned cane under his arm as he paced, the end of it bouncing and swaying as he walked. It looked so wrong in Leo's hands, and Leonardo shared that sentiment. His hands and skin felt weird holding it, because it wasn't his. It was his late fathers personal property. But Splinter had taught them that material possessions weren't all that, in fact, he had said that they were nothing compared to the bond they shared together. Family over matter, and Splinter had mostly looked at Donnie and Mikey that day.

But now, Leonardo was asking them something slightly more easy then to not get attached to material items. But, of course, nothing was easy in this family. Even a simple yes and no question.

"Dudes, I say no." Michelangelo spoke up and made Donatello look at him weird. "It looks so wrong, it's not... It... It just doesn't feel right."

"Mikey, we can't just say "it doesn't feel right" when Splinter has taught us possession is nothing." Donny looked at the now pouting turtle on the far side of the couch. "I say go ahead, what's stopping you?"

That made everyone look at the now standing still turtle, all eyes on the back if his head. Leonardo had stopped pacing with his back to his brothers. He turned his head downwards and seemed to be in thought.

"Okay, that's," Donnie said and broke the silence. "An understandable reaction. But what about you Raph? The final decision is still tied, how about it?"

The red banded terrapin, with a small purple terrain in his lap that was napping, hummed and looked at Donnie nonchalantly. "I don't care."

"What?" Mikey asked as he sat up from his stomach to turn to Raph. "Can you repeat that?"

Raph rolled his lime colored eyes and talked slower, just rising tensions in the room. "I said. I. Don't. Care. What. He. Chooses."

"Oh, come on." Mikey laughts and waves his hand dismissively in Raph's direction. "You always have an opinion when it comes to what Leo chooses to do. You can't tell me you at least aren't effected by this, dude!"

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." Raph's eyes weren't so indifferent this time, he seemed a bit disgruntled. "But this isn't a discussion that really needs debating. Or this long for Leo to think of an answer!"

Okay, now Raph might be a little cross. These guys were so hopeless if their hearts still felt this was the serious subject for a family meeting. Raph pet Chompie to calm down a bit. He really didn't need this stress.

"Hey, don't yell at him!" Mikey spoke up and looked hopelessly at Raph. "He's as effected by this as we all are! His heart is a soft muscle-!"

"We got it the first time, Mikey." Raph rolled his eyes but let his little brothers repremend placate him. A little.

"And besides," Donnie said from his seat on the left end of the sitting group, drawing attention to himself. "It's a yes or no question, not a maybe question..."

"Oh my god, brainiac, stop." Raph lifted one hand to pinch inbetween his eyes in annoyance.

"So is it yes or no, Raphael?" Donnie asked his immediate older brother, right hand cupping his chin in a mock stance of having patience.

"I am one word away from smacking you both-!" Raph said as he slammed his hand down in the couch, waking Chompie up with a start.

The small baby terrapin jumped away and started to cry at being startled away like that. His heart beat was so heavy because he had been scared so bad and he didn't like it. The small terrapin tot spewed random fire as he cried out for something to calm him down.

Raph immediately picked up the small Chompie and started to hush and coo at him, running his shell gently. For some reason, Chompie wasn't calming down under Raph's administration, making the red banded turtle glare at his younger brothers.

Before Raphael could yell or blame the two form anything, a three fingered hand slid under Chompie and scooped him up gently from Raph's hands. Leonardo had been listening the whole time and thought it best to intervene before anyone started a brawl. And baby Chompie provided his cover to gain their attention. That and Leo knew why he couldn't calm down.

Leo, Splinter's cane under his arm, held the jumping and crying turtle to his chest as everyone watched. He used his other hand that wasn't holding Chompie to pet along his head, then his neck, across his shell, and ran it back up the way it came. Wash, rinse, repeat and Chompie stopped thrashing and spitting fire long enough to notice he was safe and the turtle holding him was calm, safe, and nice. He nuzzled the blue turtles chest as Leo looked at his brothers.

"Would you be able to stay calm while being at the center of a fight you didn't know was happening?" Leo rubbed the baby turtles head a bit more before stepping closer to Raph. "Also, I think he was just a bit cranky from being forced awake like that."

Leo handed Raph back Chompie and the same turtle seemed to forget all about Raph's outburst. He was jumping and panting his tongue on Raph's lap happily as the red terrapin whispered apologizes to him.

Leo walked to the spot he stood before all this, but he faced his brothers. He took Splinter's cane from under his arm and twisted the handle. This cane was a sword instead of a kusarigama or a do staff, and Leo half withdrew it to admire it a few seconds before withdrawing it completely.

"I have made my decision." Leonardo said as he dropped into a battle stance to test his grip on the smaller sword. Unlike his old Sensei's smaller five fingered hand, his three fingered one was a bit big for its handle. Even if he was holding it with one hand. He might wield another cane weapon if he can't master this one before training tonight. "I'm using it... Maybe I'll use two."

Leonardo's question that started all this?

"If I used father's old canes against you in training, would any of you object to it? Should I disturb them from their pedestals?"


	6. Stake(s)

**Word count:** 1200  
 **Genre:** Science Fiction  
 **Character:** An extra-terrestrial  
 **Material:** A wooden stake  
 **Sentence:** "Run!"  
 **Bonus:** Your character is shipwrecked.

* * *

"Professor, this place is strangely… familiar, how fast can you get that ship fixed?" Leo spoke into his comm system. "It's almost… New York but alien. And not in a good way."

Leonardo walked in front of his posse of Raphael, Michelangelo, April, and Casey. If anything, Leonardo was drawing the most attention to them as he talked into his comm system. Casey reported hearing a few sketchy aliens talking about a "potential cop" and a "snitch" from the back of the group. But that didn't really bug Leonardo anymore. The Professor always seemed to drop them on the dangerous planets, and maybe 1/15 planets or stations they land on is actually safe enough to rest their ship and bodies from their search for the Black Hole Generator.

"Leo, those creeps are tailing us. I think they said something about smashing your helmet in…" Casey drifted off as he heard the aliens a bit far from them begin again.

"I'm sick and tired of hearing threats!" Raph said as he put his hands on his belt near his weapons, sneering. "And l swear, if they come anywhere near us…"

"Raph." Leo warned as they kept walking the brightly lit plaza. "I promise you, when the Professor and Donny are done fixing the ship and we return, I'll ask the Professor to let us break at only semi-positive planets for a while."

Raph started to grumble as brought his hand to his dome helmet and wiped a string of confetti from it. "And I hate having this stupid helmet on when we're not in actual space."

The turtles and humans had yet to take off their helmets as the planet because the Professor had declared the planet unsafe for their carbon-oxygen lungs to handle. The planet was only 25% oxygen, 25% carbon dioxide, and 50% methane. Sure, it wasn't the deadliest place they landed, but it could still kill them in time. Also, about 70% of the off-worlders here actually still wore space suits or a mask with their natural air in it.

It seemed this planet was toxic inside and out. The Professor had told them before they got reeled in by the planet's gravitational pull that this planet's late night parties were really a disguise. This was a planet of murderous merchants that used the people they pulled in as slaves on the black market. If they didn't deem you worthless and shoot you at random, anyways.

So, yeah… Leo could understand Raph's anger at being stuck in another dangerous situation. It was growing tiresome.

"Hello!" The Fugitoid broadcasted across all their helmets comm sets and caused Mikey to jump out of his shell. He must have been daydreaming. "Sorry for the late reply but it seems your brother, Donatello, and I are caught in a snag. We seem to have ran into this planet's version of the police and they are providing us information on a hotel to stay at while we fix our ship."

The group heard a faint "Hey, get your grimmy feelers off that drive!" before they heard Donny swear "Space Apples!" in the background. Everyone grew concerned quickly as a crash was heard.

"Professor?!" April called out into their headsets.

"Sorry about that." The Professor said after a second. "This planets version of mechanics are 99% ruining our ship on purpose to make us stay longer. We might require some muscle because apparently Donatello isn't threatening enough - STOP!"

As the comm went dead, the Professor sent last minute coordinates to their sharing quarters. The hotel wasn't about two blocks off the main street. As they all looked at each other and followed the directions, they didn't notice their tails ducking into a nearby alley.

Leonardo watched the building as he typed in the access code. The barely two-story building suddenly sprang to life as they all filled in. April locked the door and her and Mikey peered out the windows to watch for any activity.

"Raph, Casey… I'm begging you both," Leo said after he and the two aforementioned people checked every inch of the house for any mics or cameras. "Please assist the Professor and Donny with the peacekeepers and mechanics here. Don't intimidate anyone more than you need to, and don't start a fight."

"Aye, aye, captain." Casey smirked before leading Raph out of their shelter with a confident wink to April.

"Leo…" Raph said as he turned around and held the door open so he could talk. "Be careful. Mikey and April, can you watch out for those aliens?"

"Raph, we can hold the fort until morning. All of us will be safe here till tomorrow morning." Leo said with a small smile. "It's your group that should have the most trouble tonight."

Raph didn't smile back as Casey pulled him slowly from the doorway into the street, April locking the door as they left. Mikey looked at his older brother sadly, April looking around to scan the room.

"You two can eat and do what you need to before heading to bed." Leo said and motioned to the kitchen-like area behind them. "I'm on first watch. Then April. Then Mikey."

"Leo, you need to eat too. You won't last first watch on that alien sandwich you had eight hours ago, bro." Mikey said as he made his way to Leo who was standing in the rooms center.

"I won't lie, I have been hungry since we landed…" Leo mused with a small smile and patted Mikey's shoulder. "How about… you try and make me something as you and April eat? Bring it in here? And after that, how about calming yourself down by making a pizza of some kind, okay?"

That seemed to pacify his baby brothers worry for him, but Leo could feel that Mikey was tearing himself apart for the three split up groups. Leo patted his shoulder harder before ushering his small group into the kitchen as he takes watch.

Mikey and April were able to scrounge up some not-too-inedible items to make a burrito or "deli" wrap from the kitchen. It wasn't a home cooked meal but hey, at least they weren't going hungry tonight.

"Hey, Leo~!" Mikey sand as he came into the living room with a tray of wraps. "We made some alien burritos for everyone, the one's on top are-!"

"Shhh!" Leo hushed him and drew one sword.

Mikey, with his hands full with the tray, grew anxious. He couldn't grab his nunchucks without dropping the food… He slowly made his way to a small foot rest to put the plate on when suddenly something broke the through the window. Mikey felt the tray lerch but not spill over. A large, wooden stake was embedded in their dinner.

"Run!" Leo shouted and promoted his group to jump into action. "Out the back door! They are all mostly out front, and we can't fight in here! April, shield up as we go out, there is no telling if they have guns!"

April, Mikey, and Leo ran into the night, comming the Professor as they made it out. By the end of the call, Raphael and Donatello were en route.


	7. Alcohol

**Word count:** 50  
 **Genre:** Fantasy  
 **Character:** A scientist  
 **Material:** A bottle of whiskey  
 **Sentence:** "I'd like a day without punishing you."  
 **Bonus:** Your character is dying.

* * *

"Donnie..." his brothers voice rang out into the splitting silence of the room. He walked in and made a face as his foot hit an empty bottle of whiskey. He just wanted to see him..

"I'd like a day without punishing you."

The deep, raspy voice made the brother jump out of his skin before being forced unconcious by a smack to the head.

* * *

 **This chapter is up just so I can say I _am_ taking requests! You just have to ask in the Review section or ask in PM's. Choa!**


	8. Study Safe, Kids

**Word count:** 900  
 **Genre:** Drama  
 **Character:** A warrior  
 **Material:** A book  
 **Sentence:** "I don't need any sleep."  
 **Bonus:** Your character has a world-changing idea.

* * *

Donatello and Leonardo had yet to stop studying and strategizing whatever they had come up with. The two basically razed ideas at the beginning but their excited natures eventually died down into a tame and professional air around them. Raph and Mikey just didn't get involved. They would have if Don and Leo explained it to them clearly but the two had information they got from reading more on the subject, and without reading or having a lot of prior knowledge, Michelangelo and Raphael were left out of it begrudgingly.

The reading, oh the reading . If Leonardo wasn't seen on the couch with a book of some sorts then he had a blueprint laid across the coffee table that he studied. If Donatello didn't have a book or blueprint to write and read on then he was making something from said blueprints. And it was… overwhelming.

Sure, Raph read an actual book every now and again in his own space but even he knew a cap had to be set. Raph could only read one hundred pages and then he was done; his eyes would hurt, his back would feel the strain even if he was laying down, and his head would hurt if he didn't do something physical soon after. Raph knew Leo was like him in a way that if he was reading for too too much time, he'd grow stir crazy. So he kinda brought that up the next time he passed Leo's seat in the living room.

"Your eyes are gonna fall outta ya' head, Fearless." Raph said to the hunched turtle as he stood behind the couch. "I know ya' necks screamin' in pain, too."

The blue-banded turtle sat up slowly, as if he was a self-unfolding chair that was past it's prime, and looked at his little brother in a sideways glance. The book he was reading had no cover art or name inked or sewn into the front so Raph was drawn at a blank to understand what he held. Raph could see the pages from his position behind the couch and saw the text was so frickin' small . Leo's eyes had to be strained because that text was tiny as all hell.

"I think I should take a rest." Leo said as he put a bookmark in between the pages. He rolled his neck as he placed the book on the coffee table next to a stack of other blank faced books.

"At least you have some self preservation in ya' head." Raph said as he watched the older turtle start to stand with his stiff joints.

""Self preservation"? Was I killing myself somehow by reading?" Leo asked in a genuine tone as he raised his arms above his head and stretched his back and arms. "I know you don't like reading, Raph, but that accusation in kinda pushing realism." It was good natured teasing, but Raphael wasn't fazed by the airy tone.

"When was the last time you slept without wracking your brain with either your own thoughts or an author's?" Raph questioned as the turtle settled back in his center balance from stretching.

Leonardo looked over his shoulder while moving his hips too, probably still stretching in a way. He looked at Raph before smiling. "I don't need any sleep."

Missing Leo's smile and light tone of joking, Raph's face molded into one of a sneer. Really, Leo? Again with the hero antics? They were just books, not Shredder. No right reason to lose sleep over. That goes for Donatello too.

"Leonardo Hamato, I swear, if I found out ya've been sacrificing sleep for these books I'm gonna thrown more then these books in the fireplace." Raph said as he pointed to the startled blue turtle. He was serious, Leo could see that.

Turning on Raph, Leo held his hands up to placate the fumming turtle. His eyes were wide as his voice grew a bit more shrill after he figured Raph wasn't in the mood. "Woah, Raph. I swear, it was a joke. You and Mikey are really on edge…"

Raph pinched his eye ridge and sighed inside himself. Of course he couldn't take a joke, not with Leo. He didn't know what happened when Leo made the joke; maybe he was tired, maybe it was stress; he didn't know. Anyways, his concerns were quelled. But not his embarrassment for that outburst…

"That's good. I meant it." Maybe he should stop talking and move on with his day. Maybe. "And what has the goofball been doing to bug ya?"

"You two have been really snappy with Donnie and I. Are you two okay?" Leo asked as he dropped his hands.

"Yeah… we just don't get how you and Don can be so stuck in those books all day for ya project." Raph said as he scrubbed his face. "Mikey is more… direct. I'm the opposite and… I snap easily. We just don't understand."

Leo looked down and around, he never really made eye contact. Leo wasn't shy, but he wasn't confident enough either to hold a strong gaze at the moment. He hummed and put one hand on his chin and let his thumb rub below his jaw in thought. His eyes fell on the couch finally.

"Was it… what confused you guys?" Leo asked as he saw Raphs sour expression change to a bitter smile.

"Everything." Raph laughed and Leo let out his own chuckle.


End file.
